Learned about direct looking outside

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified)
in
Management and Leadership

I just got a call through my network that another company was about to make an offer to one of my company's employees in the Chicago area.  What that means is that there is a high likelihood that it's one of 2 or 3 people on my team have been interviewing.

What if anything should I do with this intel?  I've been measuring my team via monthly "How are you doing overall?" questions in our O3s and I haven't noticed any difference.  However, the person that I suspect the most due to their connections with this company is a high S and there usually isn't too much emotional or behavioral variance with him.

Help! I'd be gutted if any one of these 3 people left.

 -MHogue

DISC: 1575

Submitted by Todd Puccio on Thursday February 6th, 2014 1:52 pm

 
Your question, "What if anything should I do with this intel? "
 
 
I would say this gives you a wonderful opportunity to be prepared and not hit blindsided.
 
You can now plan your response when (if) this Direct gives you the news.
Then you can easily smile and say "Hey, well do you feel it is a better position?   Is there anything I can tell you to convince you to stay ? - No ?  Well then I wish you the best of everything in life, God Bless"
 
 
or better - yet - If you hear it from another Direct - you can act "not surprised"
And say something like " Oh really, you heard that ?  Well,  I'll wait to see what {so and so} tells me himself. "
 
The best reaction will be a non-surprised reaction.
 
Don't make a big deal or even mention that you knew.  Just be professional and supportive.
 
- Now from the other front - 
 

  • I would suggest that you start getting the paperwork together to update the job description. 
  • Start getting your paperwork together to justify a re-hire.  I know we are in a hiring freeze and we have to justify (and beg) to a University committee to let me hire a replacement.
  • Start thinking about who else you will delegate duties to in the vacancy
  • In short - prepare - but "do" nothing else.  Say nothing else.

Those are my thoughts.
TJPuccio

Submitted by Marcus Hogue on Thursday February 13th, 2014 11:59 am

Follow-up: It was an employee that provided national coverage that wasn't on my team at all.  I'm glad that my measurements weren't completely off AND that I didn't say anything to someone that would have been completely wrong and put them on the defensive.
At the same time, I got to spend some time getting comfortable with not controlling things outside of my control and was okay either way things would have went.
Thanks for the spot-on advice!

Submitted by Todd Puccio on Thursday February 13th, 2014 2:35 pm

 
Happy to help if I can,
Glad to hear it was a false alarm.
This time ...
Still a learning experience - just like everyday.
at your service,
TJPuccio
 
 

Submitted by Suzanne Brown on Thursday February 13th, 2014 4:15 pm

Sounds like this is a good time to start thinking about succession planning within your network in case next time it is one of your folks!